Winter's Walk
A walk down the river trail on the Grand River in Michigan
A walk down the river trail on the Grand River in Michigan
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Feb, 2016Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken on the banks of the Grand River in Portland, MI. There is a popular walking trail that follows the river through town and you can see that people were out enjoying the scenery shortly before the picture was taken.Time
It was early evening of a mid-November day last year. It happened to be the first snowfall of the year.Lighting
For being a cloudy, snow day, the snow was able to reflect enough light to brighten the entire trail.Equipment
I used a Nikon D610 with a Nikkor 24-85mm 1:3.5 - 4.5 lens, no flash or tripod.Inspiration
I had just purchased this camera and this was going to be my first chance to get out and take snow pictures. The problem was that I had been out running errands earlier and had to get back for an appointment. Since it was early evening and I didn't have an opportunity to take any pictures yet, I quickly pulled into the parking lot next to the walking trail. As soon as I got to the trail, I took a few pictures and ran back to the car to get home in time. I wasn't even able to see what the pictures looked like until later that night.Editing
I didn't shoot RAW for this shot so I was somewhat limited in what I could have played around with. Personally I love shooting in snow because I find the edits much easier and the shots more forgiving. The leaves were already a beautiful golden color so to help with the contrast in the picture I emphasized the color black to make the walking path pop more.In my camera bag
I usually just carry my camera and the lens mentioned above. It's hard enough for me to keep track of a pair of sunglasses with out losing or breaking them so I honestly try to keep it simple. I've actually found that taking the minimum amount (camera + 1 lens) really helps to cut down the stress of having to carry, keep track, and quickly swap out items. If I'm on a walk and I think, wow, this filter or lens would be great here, I'll make a point to make another trip with just those items.Feedback
Keep it fun! Many of my favorite pictures are ones that I hadn't even planned on taking. You can't force a great picture, wait for your inspiration to present itself and enjoy. I frequently take my camera along with me, rarely use it, but have it accessible. I know many photographers are always trying to keep up with their peers and posting new pictures on Facebook, Instagram, or whatever the latest craze it. It's not quantity but quality.
